Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card
vs. Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi

Updated: November 17, 2024

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Both the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card and the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi cater to loyal shoppers of their respective retail giants, offering cash back on purchases made within their stores. If you're a frequent Amazon shopper, the Amazon Prime Rewards card may be better due to its high unlimited cash back at Amazon and Whole Foods.

However, the Costco Anywhere card edges out slightly with a higher cash back score, especially for gas, travel and dining. While the Amazon card is accessible to those with good to excellent credit, the Costco card demands excellent credit, making the Amazon card more attainable for a wider range of consumers.

Credit Card logo for Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card
Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card
Credit Card logo for Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
MoneyGeek Rating
3.3/ of 5
MoneyGeek Rating
3.8/ of 5
On Issuer's Site
On Issuer's Site

Which Card Is Better for You?

You might prefer the Amazon Prime Rewards Card if you frequently shop on Amazon or at Whole Foods and have an Amazon Prime membership. The card maximizes returns on these purchases with a 5% cash back rate and offers a range of travel and purchase protections without an annual fee or foreign transaction fees.

You might prefer the Costco Anywhere if you're a regular Costco shopper and spend significantly on gas, travel and dining. With 4% cash back on gas and EV charging (up to $7,000 per year) and 3% on dining and travel, this card can quickly accumulate rewards. Plus, it has no annual fee with a Costco membership and no foreign transaction fees.

Head-to-Head Comparison: Card Details and Features

Evaluating APRs, fees, credit requirements, rewards and other features will help you determine which card aligns with your financial habits. The Amazon Prime Rewards Card excels with Amazon and Whole Foods purchases, while the Costco Anywhere is advantageous for gas and Costco spending. Use this section to find which card offers the most value for your specific needs.

    discount icon

    Regular APR: Amazon Prime Rewards Card

    The Amazon Prime Rewards Card is better for those who may qualify for the lower starting APR of 19.49% compared to Costco Anywhere's starting rate of 20.49% variable.

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    Annual Fee: Amazon Prime Rewards Card

    Both cards have no annual fee, but the Costco Anywhere requires a Costco membership, starting at $60 annually.

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    Introductory 0% APRs: Tie

    Neither the Amazon Prime Rewards Card nor the Costco Anywhere offers introductory 0% APRs on purchases or balance transfers.

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    Rewards: Costco Anywhere

    For rewards, Costco Anywhere edges out slightly, especially for those who spend heavily on gas and dining. It offers 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging (for the first $7,000 per year, then 1% thereafter) and 3% on restaurants and eligible travel purchases. In contrast, the Amazon Prime Rewards Card provides unlimited 3% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases, with an increase to 5% for Prime members.

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    Welcome Offers: Amazon Prime Rewards

    The Amazon Prime Rewards Card is better for welcome offers, providing a $50 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval. The Costco Anywhere does not offer a welcome bonus.

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    Recommended Credit Score: Amazon Prime Rewards

    The Amazon Prime Rewards Card is more accessible, catering to those with good to excellent credit, compared to the Costco Anywhere, which requires excellent credit.

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    Penalties and Fees: Amazon Prime Rewards

    The Amazon Prime Rewards Card is slightly better for penalties and fees. It has a lower late fee of up to $39 compared to Costco Anywhere's up to $41 and a more favorable cash advance fee structure. Both cards have no foreign transaction fees.

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    Issuer Satisfaction: Tie

    Amazon, the issuer of the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card and Citibank, the issuer of the Costco Anywhere Visa Card have equal issuer satisfaction ratings of 4.1, making this feature a tie.

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    Other Features & Perks: Tie

    Both cards offer unique perks suited to their co-branded nature. The Amazon Prime Rewards includes travel insurances and protections, while the Costco Anywhere Visa provides exclusive cash back rewards for Costco members. Both cards have no foreign transaction fees, catering to international shoppers.

Rewards Comparison

The Costco Anywhere card edges out slightly in overall reward value, particularly for those who spend a lot on gas and dining, with a higher expected reward value and better average rates in these categories. However, the Amazon Prime Rewards card is the clear winner for frequent Amazon and Whole Foods shoppers, offering up to 5% back with an eligible Prime membership. While both cards offer compelling cash back on dining, the Costco Anywhere card provides a slightly better rate in this category.

Below is a table of bonus categories to help you visually compare the rewards programs of both cards at a glance.

Category
Amazon Prime Rewards Card
Costco Anywhere

Retail Store

5% with Prime membership/3% without (at Amazon and Whole Foods)

2% on Costco Purchases

Gas and EV Charging

2%

1%

Restaurants

2%

4% for the first $7,000 annually/1% thereafter

Travel

3% with Prime membership/1% without

3%

Local Transit and Commuting

2%

3%

Redeeming Rewards

Both cards offer cash back but with different redemption processes. The Amazon Prime Rewards allows for immediate use of points on Amazon.com or as a statement credit, with no expiration as long as the account is active. In contrast, the Costco Anywhere issues an annual reward certificate, only redeemable at Costco locations, and must be used by December 31 of the year it's issued. This imposes a use-it-or-lose-it condition, potentially affecting the card's value if not redeemed in time.

Methodology

MoneyGeek provides evaluations and reviews of credit cards like the Amazon Prime Rewards and Costco Anywhere using a scoring system tailored to various use cases, such as cash back. For these cards, the cash back use case is where they score highest. The largest factors in determining their scores are the effective reward rate, which accounts for half of the score, and the return on investment for offers. Other considerations include annual fees, introductory purchase offers, and issuer satisfaction.

FAQ: Amazon Prime Rewards vs. Costco Anywhere

What are the cash back rewards for each card?

Do either of the cards have an annual fee?

Can I use these cards for international purchases without extra fees?

What kind of welcome offer can I expect with each card?

Are there any membership requirements for these cards?

About Doug Milnes, CFA


Doug Milnes, CFA headshot

Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.

Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.


*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
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